1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to installation of panels in new or existing construction. The preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to methods and devices for temporarily supporting panels against ceilings while the installer permanently secures the panels in place.
2. Description of Related Art
Since being introduced into home construction, mass produced drywall paneling, or sheet rock, has greatly increased efficiency in the area of wall and ceiling covering. Drywalling has largely replaced the labor-intensive, time-consuming process of plastering.
The standard size of a drywall panel is four by eight feet. The placement and securing of drywall on a vertical surface, such as a wall, has a simple process. The installer needs only start at the floor level and hold the drywall against the wall studs while securing it. The next panel up is supported by the panel below it. What used to take several days and require workers skilled in the art of mixing and placing plaster could now be done in a matter of hours.
Unfortunately, the same attributes that make drywall panels so much easier to install on walls are disadvantages when installing the panels on ceilings. Namely, the large size and composition of the panels makes them unwieldy for one person to install on a ceiling. In most cases, at least two people are required, one to hold the sheet rock in place against the ceiling joists and one to secure it with nails or screws. This means that ceiling installation usually requires a second person, which adds to the cost of home construction.
A number of devices and methods have been proposed to aid sheet rock installers with the handling of the awkward, large, heavy and easily damaged panels while wielding a hammer or screw driver to secure the panels in place. This is a particularly difficult task when the installer is working alone. Various floor mounted jacks and complicated wall or ceiling mounted work holders have been devised. In addition various temporarily mounted brackets have also been proposed.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,338 to Reicherts provides a fixed shelf with an upper plate for supporting one panel edge. However, it does not provide a surface that supports the complete length of the panel. Therefore, Reicherts requires multiple devices to be mounted on the ceiling and positioned separately along the same line to support a single panel in place during installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,309 to Bodell provides a sliding shelf with a slidable plate for supporting the opposing panel edge. However, it does not provide a surface for supporting the complete length of the panel. Therefore, an installer must mount multiple devices on the ceiling at separate positions to support one panel in place during installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,994 to Waters provides a fixed support surface for supporting the panel in place while being secured. However, it does not provide a slidable shelf for support of a full side of the panel. Therefore, to install a single panel the installer must mount multiple devices on the ceiling along a single line support the panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,361 to Murphy provides a fixed shelf with slotted attachment holes for mounting below a ceiling joist and has an upper plate for supporting one edge of the panel. However, it does not provide a slidable shelf that supports a full edge of the panel. Therefore, multiple devices mounted on the ceiling and separate positioning of the multiple devices are necessary to support one panel in place during installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,732 to Richmond provides an upper plate for supporting one edge of a panel. However, Richmond does not provide a slidable shelf or positioning in a single motion for holding a panel in place during installation.
U.S. Published Application Number 2008/0040988 by Holt provides a fixed shelf with slotted attachment holes for mounting below the ceiling joists and has an upper plate for supporting one panel edge. However, Holt does not provide a slidable shelf for holding a panel in place while being secured. Therefore, multiple devices mounted on the ceiling and separate positioning of the multiple devices are necessary to support one panel in place during installation. Also, the clamping mechanism of Holt does not allow the device to be temporarily mounted on a finished wall, which will often be the case in situations where only the ceiling is being covered.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,460 to Luhowyj provides an upper plate for supporting one ceiling covering panel edge. It provides support along a complete edge. However, it does not provide a slidable shelf for holding a piece of ceiling covering while being secured. Therefore, it is necessary to mount multiple devices on the ceiling at separate positions to support one panel in place during installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,329 to Burgess provides an upper plate for supporting one panel edge. However, Burdgess does not provide a slidable shelf for holding a panel in place while being secured. Also, Burgess requires multiple devices to be temporarily mounted to the ceiling along the same line to hold a panel in place. Therefore, multiple devices mounted on the ceiling and separate positioning of the multiple devices are necessary to support one panel in place during installation.
U.K. Patent Application GB2371829A by Johnston provides a fixed plate for holding one edge of a piece of drywall in place. However Johnston does not provide a slidable shelf for holding a panel in place while being secured. Also, Johnston requires multiple devices to be temporarily mounted to the ceiling along the same line to hold a panel in place.
What is needed is an installation device that includes a fixed shelf with slotted attachment holes for mounting below ceiling joists, with an upper plate for supporting one drywall panel edge, while providing a sliding shelf with slotted attachment holes for mounting to the ceiling joist and a slidable plate for supporting the opposing drywall panel edge.